WebI vs. Business Object full client - Creating Reports

We have just purchased Business Objects recently (v. 6.1b) and we began creating our reports in the Business Objects full client as opposed to WebI. Now our reasoning for this was because WebI did not support multiple data providers and many of our reports need this functionality.

It is our knowledge that with the release of 6.5 WebI will allow for multiple data providers. This leads to my question…

What are the pros and cons of creating in Business Objects full cliet or WebI? We never really looked into creating reports in WebI after learning about not supporting multiple data providers but now with the news of 6.5 we would like to review our choice. Are there certain functionality availbe in one and not the other??

Thank you very much for any of your feedback, really appreciate it, Kevin

[Edit - Moved to General Discussion as this is not a specific report issue. - Dave]


dcooter (BOB member since 2004-05-17)

If the multiple data providers need to be linked, you’ll still be using the client for a while. 6.5 will have multiple data providers, but you won’t be able to link them.

Many times people need multiple providers, but they don’t merge the data. For example, Tab 1 uses data from DP1, while Tab2 uses DP2. IF this is the case WebI 6.5 will be fine.

My general rule is to build reports in WebI whenever possible.


Steve Krandel :us: (BOB member since 2002-06-25)

Steve,

I’m trying to gather info about the advantages of WebI over full client. Could you tell me why you prefer WebI over full client?

Thanks


Anne Bring (BOB member since 2002-08-30)

  1. WebI reports cause less overhead/consume less server resources if your using WebI to view/refresh the reports

  2. Only WebI reports can be drilled within WebI. Full Client documents/reports can be viewed and refreshed in WebI, but they cannot be edited or drilled in WebI (one needs Full Client 2-tier or 3-tier to do that).

  3. In the looooong run (read: years from now) WebI reports will be the standard - this is my guess at least


Andreas :de: (BOB member since 2002-06-20)

If you are deploying the JSP flavour of Webi and the majority of your user community will only be licenced for Infoview, building reports in Webi allows users to manipulate the reports by applying sorts, filters, adding objects etc via the HTML Interactive option. This interaction is not possible when viewing Full Client reports in Webi.
John.


John Crosbie (BOB member since 2002-08-16)

Be very careful about your assumptions here. BO tells us that interactive HTML requires a full WebI license. InfoView is not enough. I believe this is true even with the new pricing structure.


Steve Krandel :us: (BOB member since 2002-06-25)

Hey Ann,
The reasons that Andreas outlined are the ones. WebI reports are more scalable and have more features when viewed via WebI.


Steve Krandel :us: (BOB member since 2002-06-25)

Hi, we are also evaluating the possibility to move from full-client to webI reports but we have the same data provider’s problem! (an important problem from my point of view :reallymad: ) Anyway, the main advantage of using WebI to create the reports is that you have more features from WebI??? :confused:


Schuster :united_arab_emirates: (BOB member since 2002-08-29)

For now, that’s definately a problem. Hopefully, some future release of 6.5 (or 6.6?) will add the ability to link data providers in WebI.

Yes, the WebI user can modify and/or drill a WebI report, but cannot do so with a full-client report.


Anita Craig :us: (BOB member since 2002-06-17)

I think he means you have more features from WebI reports when viewed in WebI. If you view Full Client reports in WebI you have very few features.


kmahler :trinidad_tobago: (BOB member since 2002-07-29)

I’d vote that the main reason to convert from a full client report to a native webi .wid, is lower server overhead to process the latter.


Cindy Clayton :us: (BOB member since 2002-06-11)